Gun stock with a compressible fluid recoil absorber



June 19, 1962 R, o. HOGE 3,039,222

GUN STOCK WITH A COMPRESSIBLE FLUID RECOIL ABSORBER Filed June 4, 1959 INVENTOR. 440# 0. /oaf United States 3,039,222 GUN STOCK WITH A COMPRESSIBLE FLUID RECOIL ABSORBER Ralph O. Hoge, 1352 N. Alta Vista, Hollywood, Calif. Filed June 4, 1959, Ser. No. 818,100 Claims. (Cl. 42-74) oversize, clumsy stock structures that have prevented nor- ;.imal Vand natural handling, and firing of the gun.

The present shape of a gun stock has been evolved over a period of years, and while it may lhave its decicncies, it is accepted and used all over the world. Any recoil-absorbing means should fit Within the present stock without substantial modification of the latter if the shock absorber is to liind wide use and acceptance.

The improved steels now used in modern lightweight g-uns permit the use of heavy powder charges, with the resulting increased ranges and performance, but with added recoil shock or kick. As a result, the pleasure of practice or actual hunting with modern lightweight, nely balanced guns is lessened by the continuous shoulderhammering caused by the sharp recoil from heavily loaded cartridges.

Guns are personal to the user and are either specially constructed or at least carefully chosen to the individual physical requirements. It is therefore `desirable in recoil devices that there be no material change of gun structure, stock size, balance, and weight.

'Ihis invention overcomes the disadvantages of earlier devices by largely absorbing the shock of recoil, accomplishing this result by a mechanism within a standardsize stock, and thus not interfering in any way with the normal handling and performance of the gun.

It is also possible to overcome other defects in earlier devices by receiving and absorbing the shock of recoil against the buttplate in an evenly distributed manner.

- The further advantage of permitting recoil adjustment to compensate for varying powder loads further increases the pleasure of using such a modern gun.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved recoil cushioning mechanism within a gun stock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a recoil device within the normal connes of the stock and cheek plate of modern guns without increasing the over-all dimensions thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a compressed-air recoil-absorbing mechanism in a gun stock, cheek protector, and buttplate without changing any of thenormal gun characteristics of physical conformation, balance, handling, and ring.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a readily'operable mechanism for varying the degree of recoil absorption Within the gun stock to compensate for varying cartridge loads.

A further object of the invention is to provide a substantially vertically aligned arrangement of horizontally disposed recoil-absorbing cylinders and pistons between a buttplate and shortened gun stock, the cheek protector providing a cover simulating in all respects the natural stock size, shape, and balance.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred form thereof and `from an inspection of the accompanying drawings in which:

arent FIGURE l is a perspective view of a modern gun and recoil-absorbing device;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the recoil absorbing device taken on the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3a is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3a-3a of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2, but including an alternate shockabsorb ing means; and

FIGURE 5 is a rear perspective view of the cheek protector and stock.

Referring to the drawings, a conventional bolt-action rie G is disclosed in FIGURE 1. Any type of sporting or military rifle or shotgun might well be shown, because this invention is particularly adapted for use on any manually portable gun red from a shoulder position.

The rie or gun G may include a sighted gun barrel 10 conventionally mounted on a barrel-support and forearm grip 11, and a trigger mechanism 112 and a pistol grip 13, which are standard in all respects. A short stock 14 extends rearwardly from the pistol grip 13 in the usual manner. The stock 14 is conventionally shaped, although smaller in over-all dimension and shorter in length.

A cheek protector 15 is solid and `conforms to the normal shape on its cheek-engaging side, but is almost entirely cut away on the opposite side. A rear vertical wall 16, seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, fits over the rear edge of the short stock 14 for telescopic movement with respect to the stock.

The cheek protector 15 is inwardly fashioned at 17 (in FIGURE 3) to engage and partially telescope the short stock 14 with a slightly overlapping upper longitudinal edge 118 and a lower edge 19, shown clearly in FIGURE 5. The various drawing disclosures clearly indicate how the stock 14 and the cheek plate 15 slide in a telesc'oping mann-er, this arrangement permitting an -almost exact simulation of a normal-sized gun stock.

The cheek protector 15 is recessed at 20 within its heavier butt end 21 to receive recoil-absorbing elements to be described later. A standard buttplate 22 is screwconnected at 23 and 24, respectively, to the cheek protector 15.

The short stock 14 has an inner socket 25 formed therein and also has an extended smaller inner-central recess at 26. Mounted in the socket 25 and the central recess 26 are a metal plug 27 and an extension 28 thereof, respectively. The metal plug 27 is bored to provide upper and lower compressed-air cylinders 29 and 30, and an intermediate cylinder 31 that projects within the extension 28 while flanges 32 hold metal plug 27 to the outer end of short stock 14. The air cylinders 29, 30, and 31 are interconnected at 36 and 37, and a closed tap 38 indicates the manner of drilling the connections 36 and 37 between the cylinders.

In FIGURES 2 and 3, a lateral opening 39 is shown in the short stock 14 communicating with the extended cylinder 31 in the recess 2S. A conventional air valve 40 is disposed in the opening and appropriately connected to the compressed-air cylinder 31. The cheek protector 15 normally covers the valve opening 39 a'nd valve 40, but as herinafter described, the cheek protector may be removed to permit access to the valve.

Two short pistons 41 and 42 and an intermediate longer piston 43 are carried in air-compression cylinders 29, 30, and 31, respectively. Piston rods 44, 45, and 46 are c011- nected to the pistons 41, 42, and 43, respectively, and the outer ends of the piston rods are connected to a piston-rod plate 50 housed in the recess 20 of the cheek protector 15. The piston-rod plate 50 is screw-connected mi, at S1 and 52 to' the buttplate 22.' f rThe outerr end of ,eachr 'f of the cylinders :29, "30, .and 331: is tted with la piston. f rod bushing 53which helps to. keep the various members to limit .the yinvention .to the yform shown andl described,

i but rather to ther scope vof ithe yappendedl claims.'y f y in alignment. yEach ofthe pistons 41, 42, and' 43 has a' f rconventional lsealingring 54 to prevent the, leakage of air pastthe piston, sol thaty good ycompression may be ob?- tained.

: In use, a predetermined alir pressure. is created inthe vcylinders vr29, 30, and 31 by. the' insertion or withdrawall l:of air through the valve 4d.' Thepre'ssure in' all three cylinders is equalized :by means of: the connectionsl .36

I'claim:

l'.r A guny of they class described: and comprising:1 a .l rshort stock having a rearwardly rfacingsockcty openingr through the: rear edgethereof, saidshort stock having a' generally horizontal upper edge with Aa lower edge;

' which extends'downwardly yand rearwardly in a gen.i

l erally .Straight line; a o plurality y of. lparallel cylinders 10 formed as. a rigidintegralr unit, said unit .beingreceivcd and 37, and since the three pistonsA have rsubstantially' the l same area, 'the force exerted on each 'of the piston rods 44, :45, aind46 is substantially; the same.. Thus,-when the ygun is tired andltlierecoill occurs,l the Astoclc 14,1is urged baclgtelesco'ping into the cheek protector 15; i yThe ytelef y scopingl action moves the? cylinders `29, 5i), and 31 with' i 'respect jto kthe pistons y41, 42', and 43, respectively, fun:

ther :compressing the air within thecylinders.y f It will be appreciated that lthe pistons41, 42, and 43 are fixed with respect vto the cheek protector 15, which carries the'b'utt# l plate 2.2 {that bears against ythe users shoulder.y The impulseof: the recoil is thus resiliently cusliioned'by kthe ing one end of the plater intothe rshoude'r.y i y y y n The amount of air within the cylinders 29, 30, and

3,1v may easily be adjusted to compensate for different' y powder loading. By removing the dual screws 51: and 5K2 1 connecting the buttplate 22 and the-pistonrod plate 50,.

the oheekprotector 15 ymay be withdrawnslightly beyond itsre'ar'ward operating *positiony to. permit its releasetrom y the ltelescoping: engagement with thel stock 14. l .The cheek protector '15 may' 'then' be vrotated for complete release' Q from rshort stock 14.' n In lFIGURE 5 it will beseen that'. y

, thel lowere'dge 19'of protector 15 is moved outwardly and' n upwardly.: v .With :protector r1Sk removed,y compressed 'air .connection yof any kind maybe made to the valve'40.

The air pressure necessary to compensate for the particular cartridge load is produced in the interconnected air cylinders 29, 30, and 31 by pumping additional air into the cylinders, or allowing air already there to escape. In either case the pistons 41, 42, and 43 are extended to the limit of their outward travel or maintained in this position. The cheek protector 15 is then replaced in normal, slightly telescoping position on short stock 14, and buttplate 22 is again connected by dual screws 51 and 52 to the piston-rod plate 50.

The short stock 14 and the buttplated cheek protector 15 are now held in pneumatically sustained relationship, and the gun and stock portion thereof may be handled normally in all positions of use, including shoulder position, ready for firing.

In FIGURE 4 of the drawings, a modiication of the recoil-absorbing mechanism is shown. In this instance coil springs 62, only one of which is shown, are disposed in the plural cylinders and supported in sustaining recesses 63 in plural pistons 41, 42, and 43. The coil springs 62 are compressed to hold the short stock 14 and buttplated cheek protector 15 in recoil-absorbing position at all times.

In both forms, cheek protection is provided against stock recoil, and the recoiling stock itself is so completely contained that with the users left hand on the barrel grip and the right hand on the trigger grip there is no possibility of any physical `connection with the recoiling elements therein.

While the form of the invention shown and described is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it will be realized that variations are lpossible without departure from the spirit of the invention. For this reason it is not intended within said socket and beingy mountedy on said short stock; a `pluralityof ;pistons,.eachbcing mounted inclosey sliding it within .a corresponding one of said cylinders;

resilient means withiny saidfcylindersfurging said pistons ltoward `a :rearward position in .said cylinders; a butt plater f releasably secured .to said pistons; a :cheek protector rigidly affixed to ysaid, butt; plate, vsaid cheek protector ibeing telescoped over said shortl stock and being inter-r i, i nally' shaped: complementarily to said :upper land lower( edges of f said short stock,v said cheek protectorl havingv a cheek receiving surface on one kside thereof, the op-y i yposits sidev of. said :protector being cut away so as.. to

i have a lower edge aligned along approximately the. center:

lof, ther lower edge of said shortstock, kan uppeniedge extending generallyparalleltmbut spaced from theupper ledge yof said. short stock, and a1 forwardly facing edge lextending generally parallel to kthe rear edgefofvsaid short stocl said forwardly Afacing edge overlapping the y 'rear end of the ystock yavfsrrnall distance:whenr the.y pistons. l

lare inl the rearward position.

plurality of Icylinders mounted on' one of said members with .their .longitudinal axes mutualiy parallel and ex-l .f

tendingl generally forwardly and rearwardly of :the gun.; means forming iiu'id ypassageways :interconnecting said cylinders; .a plurality yof pistons slidably; disposed, one: f y .each, insaid cylinders,i andfsecurcd tothe otherof said l members; 'compressible fluid under a predetermined pressure greater than atmospheric pressure in said cylinders normally urging said pistons in the direction whereby said buttplate member `is moved rearwardly of the gun, and yieldably resisting movement of said pistons in the opposite direction; and means limiting the rearward movement of said buttplate member.

3. A gun of the class described which includes: a stock member affixed to the gun barrel; a buttplate member mounted on said stock member for relative movement forwardly and rearwardly of the gun along a direction line generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrel; -a plurality of spaced-apart cylinders mounted on one of said members with their longitudinal axes arranged paralf `lcl to said direction linegmeans forming fluid passageways interconnecting said cylinders; a plurality of pistons slidably disposed, one each, in said cylinders and .secured to the other of saidmembers; compressible'fluid under pressure greater than yatmospheric pressure in said cylinders normally urging said pistons inthe direction whereby -said buttplate member is moved rearwardly of the gun, and yieldably resisting movement of said pistons in the opposite direction; a vialved-inlet communicating with said cylinders and .accessible exteriorly of said stock member; and means for limiting the rearward movement of said buttplate member.

4. A gun of the class described which includes: a short stock member affixed to the gun barrel; a cheek protector'member including a shoulder engaging portion and telescopically mounted on said stock member for relative movement forwardly and rearwardly of the gun; a sealed cylinder mounted on one of said members and arranged with its longitudinal axis extending generally forwardly and rearwardly of the gun; a piston slidably disposed in said cylinder and secured to the other of `said A vgun "of ther classy described which includes.: a y .short stock 'member' axed to. the 'gun barrel;l ,a buttA lplate Amember mounted ,on saidv stock member yfor `relaf tive movement forwardly yand? rearwardlylof the gun; a.y

members; a com-pressible uid in said cylinder; sealing means on said piston substantially preventing passage of said duid outwardly between the walls of said piston land cylinder; means in said cylinder normally yieldably urging said piston in la direction whereby said cheek protector member is moved rearwardly of the gun; and means limiting said rearward movement of said cheek protector member.

5. A gun of the class described which includes: a short stock member aixed -to the gun barrel; Ia cheek protector telescopically mounted on said stock member for relative movement along the direction line extending generally forwardly and rearwardly of the gun; a buttplate member ydetachably and rigidly secured to said cheek protector; a plurality of spaced-apart cylinders mounted on one of said members with their longitudinal axes arranged parallel to said direction line; means for-.rn-

ing uid passages interconnecting said cylinder; `a plurality of pistons slidably disposed, one each, in said cylinders and secured to the other of said members; compressible uid under pressure in said cylinders normally urging said pistons in directions whereby said cheek protector is moved rearwardly of :the gun, and yield-ably resisting movement `of said pistons lin the opposite directions; a valved-inlet communicating with said cylinders, said valved-inlet normally being covered by said cheek protector but being accessible exteriorly of said stock member upon -detachment of Isaid buttplate member from said 'cheek protector land removal of said cheek lprotector from said stock member; and means -cooperable with said cylinders and said pistons to limit the rearward movement of said cheek protector.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 490,650 Grant Jan. 31, 1893 837,601 Behr Dec. 4, 1906 935,163 Parker Sept. 28, 1909 1,246,117 Krueger Nov. 13, 1917 1,255,566 Pearson Feb. 5, 1918 1,334,467 Moller Mar. 23, 1920 1,964,649 Stetson June 26, 1934 2,100,514 Miller et al Nov. 30, 1937 2,188,691 Rigandi Jian. 30, 1940 2,677,207 Stewart May 4, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,269 Great Britain 1895 100,274 Germany Dec. 20, 1898 

